Screw driver



Dec. 7, 1943. D. c. THOMSON ET AL SCREW DRIVER Filed July 27, 1945 a m m 7 Noses fjoers,

- Gu s Patented Dec. 7, 1943 SCREW DRIVER Donald 0. Thomson, Dayton, and Moses A.Moers,

. Cincinnati, Ohio Application July 27, 1943, 'SerialNo. 496,316

. 1 Claim. ('Cl. 240-6.46)

This invention relates to a screw driver, and has for the primary object the provision of a device of this character which is provided with a self-contained electric illuminating means manually and easily controlled for illuminating the bit of the devic as well as the screw to be turned thereby which will greatly assist the user of the device in bringing the bit into engagement with the screw when the latter is obscured by darkness.

With these and other objects in view as will become more apparent as th description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of our invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section,

taken on the line driver. The bit has the conventional type of end ill to engage a kerf of a screw or similar device. The shank 8 is formed with flutes extending substantially the full length thereof and which flutes assist in preventing the bit from turning relative to the handle. It is to be understood that when the bit is arranged in the handle the flutes are embedded therein.

The handle 5 is constructed of a durabl transparent plastic and is covered with an opaque coating except for the end of the reduced portion 8 which remains transparent to permit light rays from within the handle or chamber 6 thereof to shine on the bit 9 and follow along the latter to the end I 0, efliciently illuminating said end as wellas the screw to be engaged thereby. The

illustrating a screw driver constructed in acinner end of the chamber 6 and is supported by an electric lamp socket l2 forming an integral part of a metallic frame or holder I3. The fram l3 includes parallel P r ions 4, one of which is of greater length than the other and both provided with spring grip portions [5 forming integral parts thereof. The longest portion II is composed of separable sections connected together by an insulating strip l 6 and one of said sections has an angularly related end portion ll.

When the frame I3 i removed from the chamber an electric dry cell of a conventional conto receive a coil spring l8 bearing against the portion I! of the frame to hold the same in tight 'contactwith the dry cell. The spring l8 also,

acts to hold the electric lamp ll tightly against the inner end wall of the chamber 6 and prevents the dry cell as well as the frame from moving accidentally within the chamber.

The handle 5 is provided with a slot 20 through which a shank 2| of a finger piece 22 extends for a limited sliding movement. A spring contact 23 is secured to the shank 2| and operates therewith within the chamber and one end portion thereof is curved, as shown at 24, while the other end portion thereof has a compound curvature,

as shown at 25. Shoulders 26 are formed on the flutes on the bit act in guiding the light rays to V the end Ill.

wall chamber and are spaced an equal distance from th slot 20 of the handle and are engaged by the contact, so that when the flnger piece 22 is slid in one direction they will cause the curved portions of the contact to engage the sections of the longest portion I 4 of the frame and thereby complete the electric circuit between the electric lamp and the dry' cell. When the finger piece 22 is slid in an opposite direction, the curved portions of the contact ride off of the shoulders thereby disengaging the contact from the frame breaking the circuit between the dry cell and the electric lamp. The shoulders 26 operating in conjunction with the spring contact prevents the same from accidentally shifting its positions as will be apparent by referringto Figure 2.

In use. the operator moves the finger piece 22 to complete th electric circuit between the dry cell and the electric lamp and the illuminating rays from the electric lamp escape at the end of the handle carrying the bit 8 and follow the flutes of the bit to the end l0 thereof, so that said end will be .efllciently illuminated as well as the screw when the end I is brought in the vicinity of the screw consequently assisting the operator in engaging the end I!) of the bit with the screw when the latter is obscured by darkness.

When the use of the screw driver is no longer desired, the operator moves the finger piece 22 to interrupt the circuit between the dry cell and the electric lamp.

While we have shown and described the preferred embodiment of our invention, it will be understood that minor changes in construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. i Having thus described the invention, what we claim is:

In a screw driver, a handle having a transparent end and provided with a chamber, a frame located in the chamber and removable therefrom and including a sectional portion connected by an insulating strip, a dry cell mounted in the frame and electrically connected to one of the sections, an electric lamp socket carried by the frame, an electric lamp carried by the socket and electrically connected to the dry cell, a cap for closing the chamber, tension means between the cap and the frame, spring ears on the frame to grip the dry cell, shoulders formed on the handle within the chamber, said handle having a slot between the shoulders, a shank slidable in the slot including a finger piece arranged exteriorly of the handle,.and a spring contact carried by the shank and including curved end portions to ride the shoulders and to be engaged and disengaged ,with the sections of the frame by the sliding movement of the finger piece in opposite directions to close and open the electric circuit between the dry cell and the electric lamp.

DONALD C. THOMSON. MOSES A. MOERS. 

